Scotland sets gold standard for the disabled

“No-one noticed if their new sporting heroes were able-bodied or disabled.”

What a fabulous sporting summer! Scotland’s Commonwealth Games medal haul looks set to finish 50% up on our last performance.

The independence debate didn’t cause friction between Scots and English supporters in the good-natured Hampden crowd. Hitherto unknown Scots became household names. And there was one more extraordinary thing.

No-one noticed if their new sporting heroes were able-bodied or disabled. The decision to integrate disabled athletes into the Games programme with full-medal status not in a separate event was inspired. Without fanfare or fuss, wheelchairs, guides, prosthetic limbs and running blades were simply present in some events and not in others.

Glory be. In a world where some assume folk without sight are folk without skills it can be hard to stay positive.

In a country where wheelchair users have been targeted by the UK Government’s Bedroom Tax and benefits clampdown, it can be hard to stay at the same address.

And yet, in Glasgow’s Friendly Games, disabled athletes got equal billing and equal respect from organisers. And from the big-hearted Scottish crowd? Athletes with disabilities were the ones who stole our hearts. Libby Clegg, registered blind, won the first track and field gold medal for Scotland in 20 years at Hampden. Watching her run in perfect synchronised harmony with guide Mikail Huggins was impressive and incredibly moving.

Para-cyclist Neil Fachie and his pilot Craig Maclean picked up two golds. But the biggest surprise was bubbly-haired, sweet-natured wee Erraid Davies the 13-year-old swimmer from Shetland who clinched bronze in the breaststroke. When that tiny figure jumped onto the podium to accept her medal there wasn’t a dry eye in the country.

High quality para-performances captured on camera were matched by careful preparation behind the scenes too reality proofed by 39-year-old Euan MacDonald. Edinburgh-born Euan was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2003 and now uses a wheelchair and ventilator. The former financial adviser still likes to get out and about but getting into venues has been rather hit and miss. So Euan set up EuansGuide, a website where folk can review genuine ease of access at all kinds of venues. With the help of the Whizz Kidz charity which finds wheelchairs for the 70,000 British kids that need them Euan tried and tested all Glasgow’s arenas before the games to be sure disabled visitors and athletes were guaranteed a good reception.

It worked. Euan said: “At the Tollcross swimming arena we couldn’t fault a thing! An infrared chip attached to an arm band tracks where people are and alerts helpers to take them to and from changing rooms or the pool.”

But there were surprising oversights.

An able-bodied friend at the opening ceremony was on her knees after walking more than two miles with kids to and from Celtic Park in the wee small hours. She tried to help an elderly lady with a walking stick to reach her car. But police had closed a small section of road and forced them all to walk right round the arena.

Organisers said the “huge number of visitors overwhelmed transport links”. Please. Perhaps city fathers should have campaigned for a new tram to Parkhead instead of Glasgow airport.

Whatever. The few travelled to the arena but the many watched on TV. So the lasting legacy of Glasgow 2014 will be the sheer joy of watching all sport, music, TV coverage and Clyde flotilla and pride and delight in ALL our new sporting stars.